Sand wedge



Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,598

E. K. MQCCLAIN SAND WEDGE Filed May 15. .1928

l 7 m ,jnveuhn Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

EDWIN KERR MacGLAIN, F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

SAND WEDGE.

Application filed May-15,

My invention relates to an improvement in golf clubs and pertains particularly to iron clubs and in some respect is similar to the niblick type of club and to be used for about the same purposes that a niblick is generally used for.

The club is particularly suitable for use in sand traps, in the rough, or around the greens where it is desirable to impart an upward flight and back spin to the ball, to remove it from out of or over a hazard to the green or some more convenient place where other clubs may be used. The face of the Ordinary niblick blade is inclined or, in golf parlance lofted to assist in pitching the ball upward, but, where the ball is in a sand trap it is difficult to keep the ordinary niblick blade from penetrating too deeply into the sand thereby failing to knock the ball out, defeatin the purpose of the stroke. When the ni lick penetrates the sand too deeply if it is not deflected in its course by a quick turn of the wrists, a difficult and delicate operation, the ball will fall short ofits intended objective and a second or third shot may be necessary to remove the ball from the difficult position where it lies.

It is an object of my invention to provide a club equipped with a wing or guide so shaped as to impart an upward flight to the .ball'when struck to prevent the club head from sinking too deeply into the material below the ball, thus deflecting the blade of theclub upwardly and increasing the ease and accuracy with which the ball maybe moved from the sand or any other given spot.

The construction of an ordinary niblick is such asjto make it a fairly heavy club. The ordinary niblick is, therefore, a thick blade of considerable weight, the general structure of the blade being rather broad, long, flat of surface, and of rather extreme loft. It is ny aim to provide an attached or supplemental wing or guide'underneath and back of the faceof a club head built somewhat alongthe general lines of a niblick, having the purpose of deflecting the blade of the club automatically out of the sand so that'the ball may be given an upward pitch from the trap, or any other difficult lie of-this nature.

In the drawing I have shown a preferred embodiment of the inventirm, Fig. 1 being a front view of the lower end of the club cinbodying my invention, the blade being in 1928. Serial No. 277,885.

transverse section. Fig. 2 is a face view of the blade of the club. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the blade shown in elevation.

I do not contemplate any radical change in the shape of the club shaft-1 or the shank 2 of'the blade. It is desired, however, that the forward side 3 of the shank of the blade be nearly on a line with the forward edge 4. of the blade itself. This arrangement will be noted from Fig. 1.

The blade of the club has a face 5 which is inclined upwardly from the forward edge 4 to provide a fairly steep concave face which, as shown at 6 in Fig. 2, may be formed with longitudinally extending grooves or markings therein to better engage the ball and impart a back spin thereto. The general shape of the face of the blade is similar to that of the ordinary niblick, except that it is-concaved transversely, the length and width thereof being not materially different.

It will be obvious that in using a blade of this general shape with no deflector thereon that the club will be inclined to-cut into the sand under the ball at a somewhat acute angle and frequently drive the ball long distances with a run'to it, when a short distance with a back spin is desired. To avoid this action of the club I have formed the lower side 7 of the club with a guide or deflector 8 adjacent the rearward side. This deflector is of approximately the full length. of the blade as will be seen from Fig. 3. It assumes a position slightly inclined from the horizontal when the club is in erect position where the player is addressing the'ball. The de-. fleeting blade 8 extends from the main body of the blade to a point below the rearward edge 9 of the main face. This construction provides a cleft or notch 10 at the rearward .side of the club which will ordinarily be left open. It is understood, however, that this cleft may be filled or partially filled, with any material desired, where the player desires the weight of the club head increased. Under ordinary circumstances, however, the cleft at 10 will be open as shown in the drawing.

in the use of this club having my deflector thereon, it will be obvious that when a blow is struck downwardly beneath a ball lying in the sand or on the fairway the lower deflecting surface 8 will act as a rudder to guide the club upwardly deflecting it away from the sand or ground and tending to impart an upward flight to the ball. It tends to prevent the club from digging too deeply inthe sand or earth and makes it easier for the average player to engage the ball in such manner that a marked back spin will be imparted to the ball as the club goes under the same in use.

As will be obvious this club is notlimited in its use to removing the ball from sand traps, but mi be used in many different ways throughout t 1e course, wherever the ball lies in such position that the use of a'club of this or the nibliek type is necessary or advisable. The advantages of the use of this club will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What I claim as new is: v

1. A sand wedge including a shank, a blade thereon whose face is inclined upwardly toward the rear at a sharp angle, and a defleetor or wing on the bottom side of the blade comprising a wing extending the length of the blade and separated from the rearward side of the blade by a cleft said wing being rounded at each end.

2. A golf club of the character described comprising a shank having a blade concaved on its face and inclined sharply upward relative to 'Sflld shank, in combination with a deflector or wing joined to said blade at its for-- tive to said shank, in combination with a dc- I fleetor joined to said blade at its forward edge, but separated from the rearward edge thereof by a wide cleft said wing being curved upwardly toward the rear whereby said (10- fiector may act to engage said sand or earth to out therein and deflect said blade upwardly in use.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 12th day of May, A. D, 1928.

. EDWIN KERR MAGCLAIN. 

